Longford coach Stephen Maher: 'It's disappointing because there should be more points on the board - but the lads are so resilient'

A couple of weeks ago, not even Stephen Maher could have seen himself calling the shots from the Longford Town dugout in a Premier Division game.

But on Saturday night, he did just that as he deputised in the absence of first-team boss Daire Doyle and assistant manager John Martin.

Both Doyle and Martin were handed a touchline ban for three and one game respectively following an incident at Head in the Game Park after Longford’s 4-1 defeat to Drogheda.

As a result, Maher – Longford Town first-team coach – found himself managing the side for 90 minutes along with Ger Mooney, Willie Conlon and Albert Byrne.

“Nothing really changed,” Maher told extratime.com on Saturday’s experience as manager. “I’d be very vocal on the opposite side of the pitch, and I wouldn’t generally be in the dugout.

“I’d often go to the opposite side and take advantage of no fans and try to be as vocal as I can. All the work was done in the week, and we knew all the scenarios of what could happen.

“It was a nice experience, but I don’t really care because we didn’t win. I’m all about helping players as a coach so I don’t really care about what happens me.”

Having been involved with coaching at schoolboy football and with his local side Sheriff YC, this was in fact the first time the former St Patrick’s Athletic league winning midfielder managed a side in the professional ranks. 

“I’ve coached underage, but this was the first time I did it in the professional game,” he added. “It’s a completely different kettle of fish.

“Normally it’s just the assistant manager who’s in when the manager is suspended but both were, so it was myself, Ger, Willie and Albert – and it was up to us to make sure everything was done right.



"They helped me and we all helped each other. It was a nice experience with it being the first time I was the manager in a professional environment.

“But I could have been sitting in the stand or mannequin somewhere, the lads knew what to do and it was just disappointing that when the lads give so much, they keep getting a kick in the teeth as much as they do.

“There should be more points on the board. But they are so resilient – and they want to do well and fix the problems. They’re not sulking or anything, they’re just looking to get things right.”

As a result of Saturday’s defeat – Town remain two points behind 9th placed Waterford. But Maher insists that he, and Longford, are not worried about what his former teammate Marc Bircham is doing in the South-East.

“We’re not really worried about Waterford, and we have to worry about ourselves,” he said.

“I know Birchy – I played with him at Yeovil in England – and he’s a good lad. I knew that he would lift them. He has that kind of personality.



“But I wouldn’t be worried about them. We’ve got to look after own results and not think about Waterford’s results and get points on the board.”

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